Feature/Profiles

Prof Writes Book on Mental Illness Portrayals

Richmond
Feb. 27, 2019 —
Mental illness affects about one in five American teens. This is increasingly reflected in young adult fiction, as recent surveys indicate one quarter of the genre's titles feature characters with psychological disorders. Northern Michigan University English Professor Kia Jane Richmond has published a new book that explores how real struggles such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder are portrayed through fictional characters. Her hope is that Mental Illness in Young Adult Literature will help educators, librarians and mental health professionals to more effectively address the needs of students.

NMU Grad Defies the Odds to Earn Degree

Travis Thetford
Dec. 19, 2018 —

Eleven years after a stranger savagely beat him with a pool stick outside a bar and left him for dead, Travis Thetford crossed the NMU commencement stage in his wheelchair Dec. 15 to accept his diploma. The former star athlete at Escanaba High School suffered a traumatic brain injury and left-side paralysis in the wake of the attack. He has since inspired many with his perseverance and positive attitude in tackling adversity.

NMU Program Earns Innovation Award

Lubig with the award
Nov. 15, 2018 —

Northern Michigan University’s bachelor of science degree in applied workplace leadership received the 2018 Innovation in Transfer Award today at the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) annual conference in Frankenmuth. The online program enables individuals holding an associate of applied science degree from any community college to ladder to a bachelor’s degree that will qualify them for management positions.

FROST Aids Evidence Tech Training

FROST training
Oct. 18, 2018 —

The NMU Public Safety Institute conducts annual training for evidence technicians, alternating between an intensive two-week basic course one year and a series of two-day refreshers the next. The refreshers being held on campus this month focus on death investigations because the institute partnered with NMU’s Forensic Research Outdoor Station (FROST) and Forensic Anthropology Research Laboratory. Both locations offer hands-on training to complement the classroom instruction provided with support from the Michigan State Police.

Detroit Students Aim North

Future NMU student planting a garden
Oct. 3, 2018 —
Graduating high school seniors in Detroit were able to get a head start on college before leaving their hometown through Aim North, a pilot program offered through Northern Michigan University’s Diversity and Inclusion Office. Students could take two summer courses, earning up to eight credits toward the liberal studies requirements for a degree prior to enrolling at NMU or another institution this fall.

Trustee Profile: Brigitte LaPointe-Dunham

Brigitte (right), with wife Mariah and daughter Amya.
Nov. 17, 2023 —
NMU Trustee Brigitte LaPointe-Dunham did not have to look far for inspiration on effective leadership qualities when she became CEO of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) in July 2021. She had two prominent role models within her own family. Her grandfather, Donald LaPointe, formerly served as president and CEO and guided the KBIC through some pivotal moments of progress and growth. Her paternal grandmother, Myrtle Tolonen, had blazed a trail as the first female tribal council president.

Fess Attends UN Indigenous Youth Forum

Fess at the event in Rome, which is the "the only Indigenous-related, high-level forum hosted by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)."
Nov. 17, 2023 —
Northern Michigan University senior Zoe Fess was invited to participate in the Biennial United Nations Global Indigenous Youth Forum in Rome, Italy. She joined peers representing all seven socio-cultural regions of the world to raise their voices, share concerns and work on proposals for the UN and its member states on improving the lives of Indigenous youth. Topics included climate and biodiversity action, the impacts of pesticides and ultra-processed foods, and the protection of plant genetic resources.

Super Fan Has 24-Year Attendance Streak

Kathy Andel front and center at last Saturday's NMU-MTU game.
Oct. 20, 2023 —
Kathy Andel of Marquette has not missed a Northern Michigan University home football game in 24 years. She is also a hockey regular and routinely attends other Wildcat athletic events. Her unwavering loyalty could easily be tested at times, but she remains a fixture in her front-row seat on the 50-yard line. Even health conditions that now require her to use a walker and portable oxygen, or have thinned her hair to the point she no longer spray-paints it with team colors, have not diminished Andel's spirit. She still wears Wildcat apparel accented by a feathery boa and other “bling” while cheering on the players. She's also there to support her son, Hans, the equipment supervisor for all NMU varsity sports except hockey.